The Monster I love
by Derdra The Brave
Summary: Elizabeth is kiddnaped by the monster on her wedding night and must replace the creatures mate he never had. Victor vows to find him and destroy him for good. But will Elizabeth learn to find the man inside the monster?
1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth walked around the room, shaken by the conversation Victor had reluctantly began to tell to her. She had told him that he could tell her anything, in hopes that they might become closer on her wedding night. But why had he told her about the experiment's he had been doing when he was still at the collage? He had said that he had created a body with out life and made a link between electrical currents and their life force.

What did it all mean? And what did he mean to tell her about before he ran outside to see what had abruptly ended their talk? Her head swam from it all and she nursed her wine from the glass goblet in her hand, trying to make sense of it all.

A sound at the balcony alerted her attention and she took tentitive steps towards it, thinking it to be Victor returning back. She wasn't a nervous person by nature, but something that night didn't feel right in her mind. Victors behavior the whole day also seemed to reflect on this moment, she thought.

"...Victor?" She called out gently, which sounded more like a whisper. The latch on the door to the balcony opened and the Creature stepped into the room.

Elizabeth gasped; the goblet crashed to the floor in crystal shards and she backing up against the bed trying to get as much space as between her and it. He stood in the bedroom, towering over her which created the effect that the room was ten times smaller like herself at the time. His gaze was predetory as he looked her up and down for a moment before he spoke.

"Elizabeth. How I've longed to meet you... Your even more beautiful then you are from afar."

Her voice faltered as she spoke. "W-who are you?" He seemed surprised at her question, which only made her feel even more confused than she already was.

"He has never told you about me?" Now Elizabeth seemed to realize that this was no ordinary man she was confronted with. He was grotesque to look at. His face was so angular that it appeared gaunt in the light of the fireplace, his skin was yellow and stretched over his facial structure and he was covered in rags for clothing. But it was his eyes that shook her to her very core...his eyes looked like lighting strikes!

"You must not..." He didn't continue, and she knew he meant she shoudn't scream. "I have tried to make him understand, but he has given me no choice." The look on his face was so wretched and twistedly sad. Elizabeth suddenly understood everything at that moment. This 'Thing' had been the what Victor created! This was the creature that had killed William, Justine, and Henry, all of them and now she was next to join them!

Her eyes brimmed with hot tears as she trembled terrified in front of him. "No...Oh God in heaven, please no! I beg you, spare me..." She cried.

"He does not deserve you!" He rasped as he caressed her cheek with a cold hand, not bothering to wipe away the tears that ran freely down her face now. Inside however a battle raged inside him that seemingly meant to tear his mind and heart into shredds. His intentions to make his maker misserable faltered as his conscience out weight it. The only thing wrong this girl had done was to love his creator. She looked so beautiful and pure to him that moment; he mentaly shook himself awake. He woudn't falter, not now.

Looking at her with a mask of blankness he shoved the rag against her mouth and nose. Elizabeth struggled, pushing and scratting at his hands to release her so she could at least draw in a breath to scream for help. He would not let his prey escape him! He pulled her body to his and watched as her eye's began to roll back into her head.

Elizabeth felt like she was choking. Her vision darkened at the edges.

_Oh god I'm dying! Victor..._

Her eyes finally slipped closed and he released the rag from her mouth. A sigh escaped her lips as she hung limp in his arms like a rag doll. She slept now, the chloroform had done it's job. He would take her far away from here, where his father couldn't find them and where he would make a heaven out of his hell with her as his mate. She would replace the one Victor did not make for him. In a way they would be even now, Victor and he.

Victor would suffer the way he had suffered since his beginning; without love. Lifting her up bridal style he moved from the room onto the balcony and disappeared into the night leaving only a chloroform soaked rag and a shattered glass of wine.

A few minutes later and Victor ran into the bedroom at full speed. The abomination had tricked him into leaving Elizabeth alone. "Elizabeth!" no one answered him. His stomach turned at the thought of finding her dead on their wedding night.

He looked around the scene of the crime only to find her shawl covered in the spilled wine and a rag. Lifting it to his nose he took a small whiff and knew that Elizabethwas still alive. The Abomination had kiddnapped her! Victor swore viciously and vowed to hunt him down till he was dead and Elizabeth was recovered.

* * *

Her head throbbed. If she was dead then why did her head hurt so badly? Opening her eyes slowly she blinked the sleep away and let her eyes adjust to the dim light of the room she was in. The ceiling was made out of rock. Were was she?

Sitting up slowly she felt soft fur blankets fall from her body. Her head spun wildly for a moment and she pressed the palms of her hands over her eyes for a few minutes before it her hands fall away she wrapped one of the fur blankets around her shoulders as shestood to exited the room. It turned out that the room was part of a network of hallways and spaces linked like a honey comb. Torches were lit on shelves carved from the rock walls and it felt warm and humid inside, it was obviouse that she was in a cave of sorts.

A strong hand grasped her shoulder and spun her around to face whoever was at the end of it. But she already knew who it was and shreiked when she saw him again. The creature smiled down at her as she flinched from his touch.

"There you are, my mate."


	2. A mate

Disclaimer: I'm at it yet again! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

"There you are my mate." He said to her, trying to sound gentle. But how could he when his voice as a rough a frozen leaves in Autumn that were being trampled on?

Her eyes had gone wide again; he tried to place a tentative hand near her but she slapped it away from her. "Don't touch me you vile creature!!!" and she backed up against the cave wall. Elizabeth grasped the blanket tighter to her, trying to cover any skin that might be showing through her pink night gown. (still intact may I add!)

He had a look of soft pity to him and he backed away a few steps to give her room. If he didn't make efforts now to win her over, he might not ever get his chance he told himself. He watched as she relaxed a small bit and her breaths were not so rapid as before.

"I came here" He began "To see how you were feeling." She nodded at this and considered her words carefully. "I-I don't know." She had been kidnapped, she felt sick and enraged at him for doing so, and poor Victor, he must be looking for me even now! But this.....thing, had killed people and if she were to make it angry at her, she might become like them also.

She then realized that the creature was staring at her; his strange blue eyes piercing into the deepest part of her being. She began to get nervous at his staring, it was like he was undressing her without his hands!

"Please.....why do you stare at me so!" The monster tilted his head a little and the corners of his mouth rose to form what would be called a smile.

"Because I've never seen anything quite like you before." It was not what she had expected from her captures mouth. Slowly he walked to her, step by step. She could back up no further or else she would become part of the wall itself; she watched with her breath held as he knelt before her.

"I have seen beauty in my monstrous existence, but you are the most wondrous that I have been close to." He picked the edge of her dress up and rubbed it against his dead cheek; the fabric made a sound similar to sandpaper being used. It was strange, she noted, his hair was a perfect black, and his teeth when he had smiled were in good condition also!

Why these things were like such for a dead creature amazed her.

But now all she could think of was a way to escape from him. Looking around her she saw two passages, one was darkly lit and the other seemed to have a promising light coming from it. She looked down to see that he was still nuzzling her dress and without so much as a second thought she kicked him hard in the abdomen and ran for the light passage.

The creature doubled over from the unexpected pain she had issued on him. He heard her run to the passage that led to the woods above ground. Still holding his stomach he raced after her.

Elizabeth climbed the rock stairs that hopefully led to the above world and away from her kidnapper. She burst from a small cave entrance and into a deeply wooded area around it. She ran from it and away from the cave, her dress getting caught on brambles and thorns as she jumped over fallen logs.

The creature finally got to the entrance and burst from it and into the morning light. Looking around frantically he began his search for his mate.

* * *

It was a good hour before Elizabeth heard the sound of rushing water.

A river! With the last of her strength she ran to it; as the trees thinned out she saw the water clear and cool looking. She knelt down to it and placed her lips to the water like a kiss. She drank her fill of the snow run water until her thirst was quenched. She looked at the surroundings and noticed the mountains in the distance, the same she had seen when Victor took her on outings!

She was close to home and to Victor! Her heart must have done a somersault because she felt it would burst from joy! She noticed that a little from the bank of the river were rocks that made a sort of bridge.

_"I could cross it and make it to the other side of the river faster than swimming across. I don't really have a choice if I'm to escape with my life."_

Elizabeth hugged herself out of the chill in the air that seemed to cling to her like the blanket she lost back in the woods; she walked along the bank until she came to the stone bridge. She heard a snap from the forest; picking up the hem of her skirt she placed a foot on one of the rocks and began to cross it with little caution and much needed speed.

She was at least three-fifths across when the creature emerged from the underbrush of the woods. Elizabeth turned to see this just in time and started to cross faster then before.

Then she heard a scraping noise and looked over her shoulder to see the creature following her! She took a step back but slipped and fell into the ice water; her breath hitched and she became frozen and her head went under the water. The current was about to pull her down river when a large hand grasped her arm.

"NO! I will not let you die!" The creature yanked her from the water! He crossed back over the bridge and laid her on the rocks. Her lips were blue and she wasn't breathing. He began to panic! He would surely loose her if he didn't do something! Pressing a hand to her chest he pushed, trying to find a heartbeat only to push the water out of her lungs!

Elizabeth coughed and sputtered as the water was expelled from her system. She shook violently as the cold began to seep into her bones.

The creature lifted her into his arms and wrapped his cloak around her fragile body; walking into the woods and away from the river.

* * *

Victor sat on a brown horse he traveled on and loaded his gun with bullets. He had stopped at a village that had reported a strange man with a woman last evening cutting across the fields and into the mountain area. He would find Elizabeth, and if that abomination laid so much as a finger on her he would make it pay much dearly then with its life!

Kicking his horse he rode East towards the mountains and hopefully to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth, hang on my love, I'm coming for you!"

* * *

She sat watching the fire as it crackled and popped, eating the wood that it was fed. She had waken to the sound of it and the feeling of being warm. She also remembered the river and blackening out from the lack of oxygen when it had swallowed her.

She had also found that she had been tied to a tree. Elizabeth had tried various times to free herself from the bonds but the knots were strong and held against her wriggling. Hours had passed and there was no sign of the creature except from the fire he had built.

Did he intend on leaving her there for the wild animals to deal with?! No he had called her his.....Mate. Why hadn't Victor told her about him? All the questions that should have been answered were not and they left her with only more.

Now it was dark and the fire was getting low. A rustling from the bushes made her turn against the bark of the tree to see if it was an animal. it was only her captor returning from his escapade. He had more firewood and a bundle of sorts under his arm.

"I have returned with food, Elizabeth." He stated the obvious to her. She watched in silence as he skewered meet from the bundle he had been carrying onto a shaved stick. The only sound was of the crickets and bats around them and of coarse the fire now crackling again from the wood.

When the food had been cooked the creature moved close to her and said "I will not untie you. But I will feed you." He offered her a small piece of meat from his fingers. Elizabeth hadn't eaten all day but she turned her head when offered the food. The creature lowered his hand and moved back to his sitting place by the fire; depressed and saddened by her rejection.

"You are repulsed by my appearance too, I see." Elizabeths face turned to meet his eyes that looked into the fire, and were glassed over. She nodded her head and whispered _"Yes."_

He laughed then a deep rumble in his chest that gave Elizabeth chills to hear.

"My own father abandoned me and left me to the mercy of the world and her kind! He never even named me!" Laughing turned to sobs as she watched tears slipped down his cheeks and into the fire. In Elizabeth's heart she felt compassion take over fear of him. Victor had left his own creation to suffer the pains of the world instead of teaching him?

Why?!

What had this poor wretch done in the beginning of his existence to deserve such treatment? Was Victor the one to blame or had it been his love of knowledge in the first place?

It made no difference to her now. He had saved her from an untimely death despite the wrongs of his past; surely this creature possessed some sort of remorse in his heart from the actions he had caused?

"Sir?" He looked up at her and the pain in his eyes nearly slew her. It was like looking into a mirror that was broken, a pain that was all the souls in the world wrapped up as one pain all together.

"Please......_I'm sorry_!" He shook his head at her.

"I _cannot _be alone in such a world as this Elizabeth! I cannot bare to think that I will be alone till the end of time. Your Victor promised me a mate; someone to love and be loved by, but he broke his promise to me and burned her!"

"If I cannot inspire love then I will inspire fear!" He threw a log on the fire violently. The silence stretched for what felt like years. She spoke after a pause.

"I don't know what to say. I feel horror, compassion, hate, remorse and pity for you all at the same time! But the wrongs in the world should not be carried on only one persons shoulders such as yours."

"Elizabeth.......Will you forgive me of my crimes that I have inflicted upon you and the ones you love?"

She shook her head but spoke before he could say anything to it. "No I cannot, because only Victor can. I can however give you a name." His head jerked up at those words and he managed to crawl over to her and face her up close.

"Yes, please name me! Give me a name!" She thought back to her childhood and to her father. She smiled and looking him in the eyes she whispered his name.

" _Your name is __Aldrik."_


	3. Escape

_Aldrik._

Aldrik.

It fit him so well. And to just have a _name _made him feel alive! Elizabeth had fallen asleep hours ago and he watched the fire with satisfaction. He had untied her and placed his makeshift cloak over her for warmth. She was delicate, feminine, slender and gentle.

Everything he wasn't. He was a monster! He remembered the first time he had seen the grotesque patchwork that was his face. He had been walking in a stream and stopped to rest a moment before continuing on. Thirst had made him bend to the water for a drink and what he saw there gave him a start.

At first he tried to make the image disappear from the surface of the water but as he made more motions with his hand and the image copied he realized that the face was him! He was still terrified of his own reflection and tried not to look at it when he scooped up water for drinking now.

And what of his Father? Surely he would be looking for them? His Father still wanted his head and _his mate_. No! He would never let him have his mate! Elizabeth was his! He had worked to hard to let his Father take her back now! But he wanted to settle down, have a wife and children of his own flesh and blood. He wanted to be _loved!_

Only in the early hours when Elizabeth was still asleep did he make the choice to keep moving. He gathered what materials and supplies they would need on their journey from the cave. After packing he gathered up his sleeping mate and began to walk in the direction away from the mountains to, hopefully, someplace they could call sanctuary.

* * *

Elizabeth woke feeling safe and in a strong embrace. She was being rocked gently and as her vision cleared she looked up to see Aldrik holding her in his strong arms. Above there were still trees that towered over them both. He looked down at his newly awakened companion and smiled.

"Hullo." She blinked the sleep away and smiled shyly back. "And hello to you too." She realized she was being carried along with other things slung over his shoulders. He stopped and let her on her feet and took a few moments rest. She didn't really know what to do now, since as of late they were in a different area all together. She could only think about what to do next but assured herself that this creatu....that _Aldrik_ was looking after her and would never let harm come to her.

Aldrik cleared his throat which had suddenly gone completely dry as he stared at Elizabeth from behind. _God, she was perfect! Everything about her was a mirror against his visage. He could only imagine what she looked like in different cloths, or at least ones that weren't dirty and torn._

She must have noticed because she turned and glanced back at him. He looked away embarrassed to have stared at her and most likely making her feel uncomfortable when he did.

"El-Elizabeth! Are you hungry?_" Fool! Of course she is! She went all yesterday without a scrap, and you ask her this now! For shame. You yourself can go days without nourishment, but she is fragile compared to you_. She nodded and walked to him with light airy movements that brought a heat to his pale cheeks without knowing it. He rummaged around in a satchel until he found some dried fruit and a crust of bread. He gave her the fruit.

She ate them like a king would a feast, and didn't stop till ever last bit was gone. But being a proper lady she ate it slowly as to savor it. He put the bread back for later days and told Elizabeth there was a stream close by.

"And please, this time try not to fall in." She couldn't help but smile at the joke he made, which sent shivers of the best kind down his arms and back, his head began to swim with so many emotions and his heartbeat was a fraction faster.

Suddenly, something seemed to come into his mind about her dress. It was early summer and as they days became shorter the earth's temperature would become warmer. Her dress would become a bother and they were _still_ looking for safety from his Father.

He was always one to adapt to nature, it was the way he had always lived. But Elizabeth was not ussed to ruffing it like he and so he began to think of ways he might make the dress more suitable for her to walk in.

Then his epiphany struck!

* * *

Elizabeth felt so much more refreshed after washing away the grime and dirt off her arms and face. She ran hasty fingers through her hair to try and unknot anything that might be tangled up. Making sure that no one in particular was around, she lifted her dress and began to clean off her legs and feet. The slippers were unrecognizable from all of the things they had gone through but they still protected her feet none the less.

After her wash she walked back to the encampment. When she got there she saw Aldrik sitting on a fallen log with his cloak off and to her horror, a hunting knife being held in one of his hands at leisure. Her mind began to race and her pulse quickened and she instantly thought of the worst yet to come.

He saw this and immediately embedded it in the log. He stood slowly and took a few strides to her before she could back away. He took her hands firmly but gently in his large ones and drew her to him. Instinct surfaced as he pulled her to the log and dropped to his knees before her, still clutching her hands.

"Elizabeth, the knife is not going to be used on you." Without knowing it she let a loud sigh of relief escape her. He smiled and continued on. "But I am going to use it on your dress to make it shorter for walking in." Her cheeks became bright red at the thought of a short dress and her bare legs showing.

He stood and walked behind her. She didn't realize his arms had circled her shoulders until she felt his chest against her back and his hands working at the ties to her pink robe at the front.

_Oh, why me! _She thought with humiliation. But her robe was off and she stood with only her white nightdress on. The thing that bothered her the most was that she wore no undergarments! She had expected no less because it had been her wedding night. He knelt down and took the knife in one hand and the white fabric in the other. He looked up at her for a fleeting moment for a sign that she was ready. Elizabeth closed her eyes and nodded down to him.

A shredding noise filled the grove as her dress was cut by the knife. Aldrik took his time with the dress; he didn't want to rip it to far up! After a few minutes the ripping finally stopped and Elizabeth looked down at her now completely ruined dress. She held out a leg to examine the length and was relieved to see that the cut was only to about her knees.

He stood back to admire his handy work. The dress was ruined but in a way looked a bit better than before. Elizabeth felt the cool air on her legs and remembered being a child again with her summer dresses Victors mother used to make for her.

She couldn't resist giving a few twirls around in her new cloths just for fun. Aldrik watched with fascination as she twirled around in circles and the dress float out about her. He bundled up both their cloaks and placed them in one of the three bags be brought along.

Elizabeth had twirled so much that she got dizzy and finally had to stop for a moment to focus, as she tried to walk strait forward she stumbled and tripped and fell. Aldrik caught caught her without effort and just held her for a few moments. But she looked up suddenly at him and their eyes locked.

Green to Blue. Soft to hard. His breath hitched in his throat and he felt the world around him disappear as she looked at him with soul searching eyes that warmed him to the core of existence.

"_Elizabeth, You're so beautiful. If only you could love me." _He thought bitterly. Aldrik looked away and helped her up from their brief embrace only to grab the satchel's and prepare for more traveling ahead. Before they left he took Elizabeth's hand in his and the began walking on.

* * *

Victor was fuming as he exited the now uninhabited cave. He had arrived shortly after the sun had risen and loaded his gun. He searched every room for them, but no one as there except a bed of animal furs and a crudely made table with books on it. Further inspection showed that there had been a fire in a small pit at the centre of it.

But they had vanished. This creature was much more craftier than he had expected and still held Elizabeth against her will. _Elizabeth! God what was it doing to her now!_If the creature had been as mad about not having a mate at first, Elizabeth might even be forced to mate with that ville, wretched burn mark on the earth and then the worst would surely happen if it got her with child!

Victor felt sick at what he had created with his hands. He had made a murderer and possibly brought all the ones he had ever loved to their death by it. So, this thing was craftier than he. Victors mind began to race as he suddenly had the answer to his problems.

If he himself couldn't catch the fiend and Elizabeth, then maybe some one with skills he didn't have could. He jumped onto his horse and rode home, thinking of people that might aid him in his plight.

* * *

Again they didn't stop till nightfall. Elizabeth had offered to carry on of the burdening bags herself but he refused politely. Now they stopped by a creek and made camp. Aldrik went to look for firewood and Elizabeth rummaged through the sacks for the water skin they had used earlier that day.

After finding it she went down to the water to refill it, and didn't fall in that time. After it was full she took her slippers off and waded in the water to sooth the sore muscles in her ankles and legs_. I can only wait with him until Victor arrives to take me back_. She thought to herself.

Then, in the distance of the other side of the creek, she heard a faint sound, like that of music. Looking into the trees and over the water she could see a flickering light of a fire. She didn't notice that Aldrik had come beside her and now had his arm around her waist, and she was being pulled close to him.

" Come, let us away from it." But as they turned away they were only met by three men blocking their path.


	4. Safe?

They didn't look like they would attack them but still they kept their distance. Elizabeth suddenly grabbed Aldrik's hand much to his surprise. The tallest of the three stepped forward and addressed them.

"Please gather your things and follow us." And the three walked to the other side of the water to the flickering firelight. They watched for a moment and then to each other very uncertain of what either of them should do. Aldrik looked down at their clasped hands and felt the heat in his face again.

Elizabeth let it go slowly and glanced down to her feet embarrassed. Why was she feeling so..... mixed up when she looked into his gaze? And when she did she felt like a bird when they jump from a nest for the first time and fly. She was a married woman, but she still felt like her old self even now without Victor beside her.

A plan was hatched inside her head as they began to gather their things and cross the stream to the other encampment. Victor was looking for her even now, he could find her faster if she left something personal behind for him to find. When Aldriks back was turned she unclasped the locket from around her neck and left it on a branch in plain sight for Victor to find.

_Victor, I pray you'll find me soon! _

Aldrik turned just as she walked to him and they walked to the edge of the water. Before she could take a step into it he scooped her up and carried her.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because your my mate." _That's not really what I meant,_ she thought.

* * *

It was a caravan of people traveling! There were women and men along with a few horses and traveling wagons. As they entered the circle of cleared trees some of the people gasped and took a few steps back due to the shock of Aldriks appearance. Elizabeth felt the instinct of compasion rise and she stayed by his side as the man who spoke to them before came forth.

"You and your strange...companion are safe here. If you will kindly seat yourselves by the fire I will explain everything." They didn't argue and sat themselves by the firelight. The man, who was tall and burly with red hair took a seat in front of them on the opposite side of the crackling fire. He looked calm and relaxed as he spoke to them. Aldrik seemed in a trace and Elizabeth could only listen enraptured by the smooth voice of their host.

"A month ago, my son Kay, had a strange dream about a man who was traveling with a lovely woman. He said that the man was reviled by the way that he looked but that his heart was pure and gentle. The woman was kind as she was beautiful and they were traveling together from a strange force that pursued them both. He said that if we helped them that we would be helped in return."

Just as he finished his story Aldrik began to slump over a bit. Elizabeth tried to steady him while his eyes became hooded and he began to black out. The man rushed over and they helped him into one of the wagons where a cot was and he liaed down on it. Elizabeth saw that he was face was covered in perspiration and placed a cool hand to his now burning forehead.

"My god. He's burning up! Please, get me some water and a cloth. Hurry!" And the man hurried out of the wagon to fetch her what she asked of them. Meanwhile Elizabeth needed to get his shirts off; it was a bit embarrassing but more shocking because when she did manage to do it his scars made her gasp from seeing them.

They started at his collar bone and made a line down his chest; his skin was the same as it was on his face. Elizabeth mentally scolded herself, _of course it was the same he had been created like that! _More scars circled around his elbows and shoulders. Elizabeth wanted to cry, but instead she gently traced the scars on his neck. Aldrik felt her light touch and groaned in his feverish sleep from it.

The man came a few moments later with a bucket of stream water and a gray cloth. "Thank you." She whispered to him and he nodded as he stepped out of the wagon. She dipped the cloth in the water and started to lightly wash his face with it. "Poor Aldrik, you have a fever. Maybe you were just tired from everything that's been happening. I don't know." He shifted a bit as she began to wash his torso now covered in sweat.

She remembered when she had taken care of Victors mother, who had been her mother too all of her life after her own parents died. And Victor also, when he had pneumonia. Her kind nature always seemed to surface when the ones she cared for were in pain or sick. When she was done with bathing him down she covered him up with the blankets and let her hand hold onto his as he slept. "All I do know is that I'll look after you. I promise."

She realized that something _compelled _her to look after him deep down. She didn't really know what else to do except wait and be patient, but after an hour or two she became drowsy and crossed her arms on the bed and fell asleep in the chair like that.

* * *

_It was warm. He felt the sun on his face and opened his eye's into the brightness of the day. He looked down at his sleeping lover with auburn hair and closed eye's. Who was she? He knew she was familiar, but didn't remember her name. They opened and she smiled up at him and he was happy. _

_But it melted away to show her face was white and it was raining on them. He held her as he rocked back and forth in the rain, and screamed into the night because she was gone now. What had happened? Who was he? Why had she died? _

_He saw that his hand pulled out a dagger and before he could do anything he had plunged it into his heart and joined the one he loved._

A tear slipped down Aldriks face in his sleep. And he held onto Elizabeths hand a little tighter.

* * *

Victor sat at his desk and looked over the letter he had comprised hours earlier. Taking a long drink of wine he proceeded to read it again.

_"To the illustrious tracker, Hans Ferguson,_

_I write in hopes that you will locate my wife who has been kidnapped by a man who is bent on taking everything dear away from me. I have done nothing to provoke him and yet he has done this terrible crime. I will pay you half if you except and the other half when they are found and brought safely back to my estate. Do not harm the man who has taken her for he will be held responsible in the hand of justice._

_Signed, V. Frankenstein"_

He smiled at the way things were going to turn out. He had no intentions of holding the creature accountable for his crimes, instead he would experiment on him and see what this thing could really do. Oh yes, things were looking up indeed.

* * *

Elizabeth didn't know how long she had slept but she knew it was morning because the wagons were moving and light was seeping in from the stained glass window and onto her face. She felt comfortable considering she fell asleep in a chair. And she felt a firmness against her back as it rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

She sat up an rubbed the sleep from her eyes; she was in a bed! Slowly lifting the covers up she realized that an arm was around her torso. Looking over her should she saw she was in bed with Aldrik, who looked peace asleep and almost human. She smiled and tried to detach herself from him only to be pulled back against his form.

Elizabeth knew he was still asleep from the fever and tried again, but this time gently and slow. Finally, after a few moments she disentangling herself from him and straitened out her dress. She placed the back of her hand on his head and sighed in releif. His feaver had broken some time last night while she had dozed off.

_But it would still be best if he stayed in bed, just in case. _

She wondered, who had placed her with Aldrik?


	5. Parchance to dream?

Elizabeth waited patiently for the wagons to stop, but in the time that followed she tended to Aldrik who was still asleep. His fever had broken and she waited for him to wake. She still wondered who had placed her with Aldrik.

_Maybe it was that man who greeted us last evening. He must have come in to check on us and found me asleep. Does he think that we are...a couple?_

Elizabeth blush red at the thought of her being.... well married to Aldrik. She shook her thoughts away just as Aldrik turned over and opened his eyes. She smiled and rubbed his hand absent minded which she had taken to holding again. "Good morning." He glanced down at their hands and felt his heart skip a beat at the thought of Elizabeth caring for him. "What....what happened last night?"

Elizabeth recalled the previous nights actions to him and he listened intently to her voice. When she had finished he rolled onto his back to look at the ceiling. She could tell he was embarrassed and squeezed his hand to let him know she didn't mind. "I want you to stay in bed today and regain your strength. I don't want you to over tire yourself with walking and moving to much." She could see the pink in has cheeks as he nodded. Licking his lips to clear away the sleep gunk from the corners he made a reply.

"You...could have fled away from me and let the people here take you to the next town. You didn't.... _abandon me_!" It was almost impossible to see what his eyes held as they pierced her. He tried to sit up only to fall back grasping his head and groaning. She instantly pulled the covers up and tucked him in like a child.

He caught her hand in his and brought it to his cheek, feeling the smooth warmth it brought with it. Elizabeth's breath caught as she felt his face. It was devoid of any facial hair, and although the skin looked to have been stretched onto his face, it wasn't unbearable to touch. In fact she wished that she could touch more of it and remember what the texture reminded her of.

_Book leather. Like the ones that have been well read by many hands over the years. Like the kind in Victors study._

_Victor_. She also remembered her missing locket.

"Elizabeth? Are you alright? You look distant."

She broke from her thoughts and smiled down to him. He had let go of her hand and now just relaxed on the cot. "How are you feeling?" He didn't know how to answer her. He did remember that he did dream, but not of what he dreamed of except... "I slept fine." He lied through his teeth to her.

Elizabeth must have known he was lieing to her but said nothing. They sat in silence for a time before the caravans stopped suddenly and there was a rap on the door. Aldrik instantly covered himself with the covers so that only his eyes were visible to see. A moment later a young woman entered.

She had lustrous brown hair that lay on her shoulder in an unkempt braid. Her face was pleasant and open and she smiled at Elizabeth. Then she noticed Aldrik and her smile faded a bit. Turning her attention back to Elizabeth she handed her a bundle of cloths that looked for them.

"Oh! Thank you." Elizabeth took them from the woman's open arms and nodded her approval. The girl turned and nodded to Aldrik how still hid under the covers like a child. She smiled and left them.

Elizabeth looked down and unwrapped the cloths and saw that she and Aldrik had been given a new set. Her dress was rather a skirt and a light blouse with buttons at the front. Aldrik had something similar to what he usually wore.

"Oh....um...well how am I going to do this?" Elizabeth wondered out loud to herself as she held up the blouse to her torso. Aldrik smiled and knew what she meant by this. He may have been a monster, but he wasn't a monster without morals to him.

"I'll turn away so you can dress. I promise not to look." And saying so he turned over in the cot and pulled the covers up. Elizabeth didn't trust him completely, but it looked like she didn't have a choice. Laying her cloths on the chair she grasped the sides of her ruined night dress and lifted up until she was completely naked.

Quickly she grabbed the skirt and got her feet into it; pulling it up to her hips she tied it there with the draw string. Next she pulled the blouse over her head and buttoned the buttons as fast as she could.

"Alright. Done."

He didn't answer.

She moved to the cot and smiled when she realized that he was asleep again. She got her slippers and walked out into the morning air, and who knew where they were now.

* * *

" I take it tha'you'll pay me half the money now and the other half after I retrieve your wife. I'm correct?" Victor nodded to the man in front of his writing desk. He was tall and looked a bit gritty from tracking and hunting. Victor was desperate considering he had hired this kind of man to bring back Elizabeth.

But he didn't know what to do. And he was worried sick with thoughts of the monster harming her, and worse. He signed a contract and handed it to Victor who signed also and then stamped it.

"Alright. Do what you must, but please....bring her home safely to me." He nodded and left Victor to himself.

Victor had sent his father away from all these misshapes, and he now was in England with some distant relatives who wouldn't let anything happen and were always good to his father if he as troubled.

"God, help me."

* * *

"_Sam!....Samuel! Wait for me please!" He turned and watched, bemused as the young woman came running over to him in the crowded court yard of the college._

_"Thank you! You couldn't wait for me?" She was dressed in Victorian fashion, but more eclectic with a rose colored blouse and green skirts billowing around her as she walked with him inside the building. Her hair was an amazing auburn that hung in rich waves around her elegant facial features, clearly stating she was of noble blood._

_"Sorry, Cara. Listen...Can we go out for just a few moments....I need to tell you something important." She looked at him and nodded. the look in her eyes was of complete and utter trust for him; she had eyes for no one else._

_They walked down to the gardens and under a marvolouse old oak tree that looked anciant in the school grounds. He turned to his Cara and sweped her off her feet and spun around in circles laughing._

_"I got the letter! They have accepted me at the university! I can leave the college and go to_ _Ingolstadt to study now." Her smile faded a little. He felt awful now that he had upset her._

_"I...I am so happy for you! I know this means so much for you to go and study there now. I...Wish you the best of luck-!" Before he could stop her she fled away from him and to the building again. But he did manage to catcher her on the stairs._

_"Cara! Cara, wait! I wasn't finished!" She looked up to him from her place on the steps; tear streaks lined her face. He sat down with her and pulled out his hankie letting her dry her eyes with it._

_"Sam...I'm sorry about that. I've just grown so close to you and..." Before she could say anything else he leaned over and kissed her gently. Pulling away he felt heat rise into his face, Cara had dropped the hankie and was wide eyed from it._

_"I want you to come with me Cara. I....I love you!" new tears erupted from her and she jumped into his waiting arms crying for joy that they could still be together._

_"Yes! Absolutely yes! A-a thousand times over! Sam I love you so! I will go with you!"_

_"Sam...oh sam!"_

* * *

Aldrik opened his eyes and tried to remember the dream. But the only word uttered from him was a name that sounded familiar suddenly.

"Sam?"


	6. By the sea

* * *

_"Victor, please let the new student borrow your text book so that we can continue with our lesson." Prof. Waldmen pointed to the sandy hair man next to Samuel Kingson. Victor passed his book over but not before looking at some of his notes._

_Interesting._

_As the Professor talked on about is lecture, Victor leaned in and whispered " Your notes are very interesting."_

_"Thank you."_

_"What is your name?"_

_"Samuel."_

_"I'm Victor. Victor Frankenstein_."

As the weeks went by they became study partners. They had the same dream's of becoming doctors. Sam told Victor of Cara and in turn Victor told Sam about Elizabeth. They became friends and hoped to someday work together as partnered doctors. That was all fine and dandy before Sam was found dead. And Cara with him.

Everyone thought that he had murdered her and then killed himself out of a jealous rage, but Victor knew that he would never harm Cara in his life. Something had happened. The only evidence at the crime scene was a paper opener that he had used to stab himself. And the lightning storm that happened that evening made things even more suspeciouse; he kept it to himself for later days.

*

After Samuel's death, Victor went mad with trying to raise the dead and his electrical experiments. When he had perfected them he started robbing graves. And the head he used was Sam's. Of coarse he had modified the body as best as he could due to the fact that he had been in the grave for a week or so. He did scalp Sam's head and gave him shoulder length black hair after preserving his brain for some time.

But he had used his friends own body as a Guinea pig for his experiments. He had even used some of Samuel's original planes and theories on life. God what had he done?!

Victor sat in his study and quietly drank while remembering all that had happened. He remembered everything. And he wrote about it in his journal. Yea he had burned his first one, but that didn't mean that he had a second one with all the same information in it like the last. He had just saved this one in a special place for such an occasion. Now he wrote about the truth and about Samuel Kingson.

* * *

The caravan had stopped on a hill near the ocean. She had never been to the ocean but had dreamed of it since she was a little girl. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in and smelled the salt water and the beach below.

"Good morning miss." She turned. It was the man from last night.

"Good morning as well. Um, were you the one who-"

"Yes. I thought you would be more comfortable in a bed then sleeping in a chair. Do forgive me if I haven introduced myself to you yet. My name is Gustave. And the other men last night are Jared and Ben. My brothers." She nodded.

"Thank you for the spare cloths. They fit nicely." Just as she finished her stomach gurgled, indicating it wanted food. She had forgotten that she hadn't really had a good meal in a few days. He smiled and gestured for her to sit by the warm coals of the fire. A moment later a bowl of oatmeal was passed to her and she thanked him.

"Your more than likely not going to believe all the stuff that we do when we travel. Some people call us Gypsies, but we're just people traveling and seeing the world. But none the less we are a lot like your companion; outcasts and looked down on most of the time. I only hope that my son was right."

Elizabeth swallowed some of the oatmeal before she answered. " Who is your son? I would very much like to talk to him, if that's alright with you?" He thought for a few silent moments.

"I think it would be alright. Let me tell him before you go in." He walked to a different wagon and opened the door to it a crack or so. She hadn't expected it to be this fast or early but now there wasn't any turning back.

A moment later he nodded that it was alright. "Don't be afraid, he's just very shy."

Elizabeth climbed the wagon stairs and opened the door to Kay's domain. It shut with a gentle click and she was almost in complete darkness. An oil lamp hung from above and she saw it cast shadows over the curved walls of the room. A small cough drew her attention to a large pile of pillows that were placed on a small bed on the floor. And proped against them was a shape under the multitude of blankets.

"Hello." It whispered

"Hello." she answered.

"Are you Kay?"

"Yes. Are you Elizabeth?"

"Yes." He shifted slightly so that some of the covers slumped off. A young man looked up at her and then looked shyly away. He was very pale and looked tired.

"I'm alright. I just haven't been able to get outside much that's all. I hear were close to the ocean. Is it true?"

"Yes, very. Tell me...Why are we really here?" He visibly snuggled down further and for a moment she thought he was going to go back to sleep again. " Don't know. All I do know...Is that the two of you here for a reason ", he took in a long breath so that he could continue " And that my family and friends need your help."

She kneeled down on the edge of the mattress. "What troubles them?"

He closed his eyes and pulled some of the blankets up to his chin and sighed. "My cousin is Mute you know. She was the one who brought your clothes this morning. I'll tell you what happened this evening when I have more energy." Elizabeth didn't like the fact that he looked very sick. Ever since Her mother and Victors mother died...

"Are you ill?" His eyes opened and searched for something that she had. " Sort of. I'm not dieing if that's what concerns you, I just don't have alot of energy during the day. I need to sleep now. It was nice talking to someone like you..._Sorry I'm not..." _But it tapered of into gentle snores. She couldn't help but tuck him in and make it a little more cozy for his rest.

Once outside she breathed in again. What ever had happened in side was going to stay like that until night came. In front of her was Gustave sitting on a log.

She took a seat next to him."What is wrong with him? "

A silence had fallen on the both of them both; but it was broken when Aldrik came out from the a wagon. He was dressed in different clothes and look a little more rested and better. Gustave went to fetch a bowl while Aldrik sat close to Elizabeth.

"Did you sleep alright, Elizabeth?" She nodded and faced him; she whipped a hand on her skirt and then out it to his forehead. He stayed perfectly still while she did what she was doing. When she was satisfied she took her hand of, much to the regret of Aldrik, and smiled. "Your fever's broken. I was beginning to worry a little. But I'm glad."

_She's worried about me? She thinks about me then?!_

Gustave handed the bowl to Aldrik; he took it gingerly, not being used to such kindness was odd of him. They were left alone as Gustave left in the direction of the beach so that the two people could have some time to themselves.

A long awkward silence fell between the both of them. Elizabeth fiddled with the edge of her dress while Aldrik tried to eat. The breeze played with the loose strands of her hair and the Sea Gulls screeches could be heard from where they had set up camp.

Aldrik desperately tried to think of something to say just to break the tension in the air. Then he remembered something from a while back that could help.

"Um, you paint beautifully, you know." Elizabeth turned her head to him.

"Really?"

"Yes. I watched you paint a few times before."

"You have? When and how?" He shifted. "Well, a while back I came to your house so that I could keep watch over what my Father was doing. One day I saw you outside painting and stopped to watch for a bit. Sometimes when you went to get fresh water I would get closer and admire the colors on the canvas."

"The last time I watched you paint was when my Father was trying to create a mate for me. You were finishing it. That was the same day I hoped that I could talk to you." Aldrik hung his head down in shame, the feeling of embarrassment was to much for him. Elizabeth didn't know what to say.

"Did you come back after that at all?"

"Yes. I came back to watch over you. I know you must be shocked by this but it is the truth Elizabeth."

She remembered that day well. She had been doing the finishing touches on her painting when Victor suddenly yelled her name and dragged her away from her work; he later claimed that he had just had a bad feeling about something. Now she knew what it was, but to think that Aldrik had been watching her the whole time when she was outside.

"Why do you call Victor your Father?"

"Because he was the one who created me."

"I don't think that's him at all. It's true he created you, but God was the one who created all the...parts you have. Even your heart." He looked at her, stunned. No one ever had said something like that. It filled his soul with something indescribably wonderful.

Like trust.

Elizabeth glanced at the ocean and got up. She grabbed Aldrik's hand and started off to the beach like their host had. He looked down at their hands and smiled, squeezing hers just a little more.

* * *

Most of the people from the caravan were down at the beach. Some women were collecting drift wood for the fires, while the men and others were practicing various acts for shows. Some juggled, others tuned up instruments and a few were even practicing acrobatics on a rope that had been tied down with drift wood poles.

People didn't stop their work as they came onto the beach. It was nice to be almost unnoticeable. Aldrik had never seen the sea as well and was fascinated by it. He started towards it while Elizabeth just watched him go towards the surf; he turned and waved at her to follow. She sighed and decided that it wasn't such a bad idea to feel childish again, like she did with her dress.

He ran away from the surf as it came forward and tried to go near it when it went back out again. Elizabeth had to stifle a giggle as she watched him play around. He Smiled at her and she laughed as the water came up to his legs.

"COLD!!!!" He yelled and ran back to shore. Everyone who heard or saw him laughed or chuckled. Aldrik saw Elizabeth holding her sides and new he couldn't resist a little payback. She didn't notice that he had snuck up to her until it was to late. He scooped her up in his arms and made for the water, all the way she was squirming and laughing like a child again.

"No, not the water! I'll get wet!"

"That's the point." And let go of her so she fell in the sea water. She sputtered and coughed until she heard his deep laughter from above her. It was actualy a very nice laugh, deep and resonating. She made a grab for his feet but he backed away and ran down the beach and away from the onlookers. Elizabeth Got up and grabbed her skirts, following right behind him.

"You'll pay for that you!"

As they became smaller dots against the sand, Gustave turned to one of his brothers and said "If I didn't know any better, I'd say they like each other. Quite alot."

*

Elizabeth had lost sight of Aldrik as he had just suddenly disappeared. He was alot faster than she was, she mused. She sat down on top of a sand dune and watched the waves for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only a few minutes.

She wondered if Victor was ever going to come for her; even if she would see Frankenstein mansion again, or anything remotely close to her old life. But an even bigger part of her was enjoying the fact that she was having fun again and seeing things she might never get the chance to see. She was even starting to like Aldrik.

_I wonder if Victor thought about what would happen after Aldrik came to life. He probably didn't. Aldrik must have been so broken after all the times he was chased or yelled at. He didn't realy do anything wrong, he didn't know what to do because no one was there to teach him really. I don't know what I'm thinking or why but I know that deep in my heart that he's not bad by nature._

_He just doesn't know what to do. I....I want to be there for him and look after him. Even if it means that Victor takes him with me when the time comes. I promise this very day that I will look after him._

_"_I Promise." She whispered.

"Elizabeth?" She turned around and saw Aldrik looking down at her with a puzzled expiration.

"I found something, that is, if you want to see it?" He held out a hand. She smiled and took it, feeling how strong he was and still so gentle same time. He helped her to her feet and they began walking further down the beach, following his foot prints. She noticed that he had taken his shoes off and was walking bare footed on the sand.

She even glanced down at his feet a few times. They stopped and Aldrik pointed to something close to a hill of sea grass. It looked like a pile of drift wood. When they were finally near it Elizabeth saw that it was a small hut made from drift wood and other thing that had been stacked and stuck together to create it. A small opening was were she climbed in first and then Aldrik followed.

The sand was warm and dry inside and it was actually a nice fit for the two people. She leaned back and sighed, feeling good and a little tired from playing around earlier that day. She was also still a little damp from when Aldrik tossed her into the sea water. She shivered a little bit from the dampness that still remained.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. Just a little wet still from when you let go of me and I fell in the water."

"I could start a fire."

"Are you sure? I mean what if the hut catches fire?" She looked around nervously at the logs.

"I don't think they will. They must still be damp on the inside I think." He crawled outside and a few moments later had brought back some wood for a fire. Elizabeth tucked her skirt away from it as she watched him patiently rub a stick back and forth against a larger log. It started to smoke and he quickly put some sea grass on top and blew very gently. A burst of green flame made them both jump a little.

He added more wood to it, and finally they had a small fire going. Soon they were much dryer and leaned up against the logs.

"Elizabeth?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to tell you something." She turned her head to see him. "What is it?"

"I...I didn't mean to harm William. Or Justine. I never even wanted to hurt my Fa-...Victor or you. It's been on my mind quite alot." She nodded slowly and returned her gaze back to the fire. It crackled and burned a soft greenish flame and was making her warm again.

"Aldrik, tell me what happened. To William." He swallowed a lump in his throat and started to tell her what happened. It took a long time for her to actually let all that he was telling her sink in. When he was done he waited for her to fly at him and beat him with her fists, or even scream hateful things at his face.

_I deserve it. I killed him, an innocent child, and condemned another innocent for the crime I committed. I am damned!_

Then he heard he crying. Elizabeth had folded her legs and was leaning her head on them while quietly sobbing into the folds of her skirt. He didn't want to see her cry, it felt like his heart was breaking apart from all the misery those tears held. He pulled her onto his lap and let her cry into his should while rocking her back and forth.

"Shhh. Please don't cry Elizabeth." He whispered words of comfort to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as the tears began to subside.

"I wish you had never been created! I wish Victor was never obsessed with life and death! I wish I didn't care about you at all!" He didn't hear the word she was saying; they passed right through him. All he wanted to do was just hold her, comfort her, and tell her it would be alright in the end.

"I-I-It's all my f-fault! I should never have l-l-let him out of my s-sight!" She said into his shoulder.

"No. It wasn't your fault." After she had quieted down she sat up on his lap and looked at him. His eyes darted back and forth across her face and he reached up to gently wipe away her tears with the edge of his thumb.

"The night that Justine was hanged, I took her down from the gallows and laid her before the churches cross in the square. I untied her and took the rope from her neck. I so want to be forgiven Elizabeth! More than you can begin to imagine." She nodded. She saw the pink scar over his temple and reached up slowly; tracing it with her finger tips for any stitches.

She found some and began to take them out carefully and gently. When his forehead was done, she moved to his neck and then his scalp. Aldrik's eyes had rolled back into his head from Elizabeth's kind and compassionate touch. It felt so good that he moaned in spite of himself. Elizabeth stopped when she heard this, thinking she had caused him harm.

"Please...don't stop. Feels so good." He whispered to her.

She continued by moving her hands and fingers along his temples and then back into his scalp so that her hands were wound up in his thick dark hair. Aldrik opened his eyes and saw that Elizabeth was very close to his face.

So close they might kiss.

He looked at her lips and licked the sides of his without knowing that he had. Elizabeth felt lightheaded and and warm from the fire and maybe something else. Aldrik shifted, and moved closer to her lips, ready to kiss her.

She closed her eyes and parted her lips waiting for something to happen. Their lips brushed gently against each other; Aldrik leaned forward and closed his lips over Elizabeth's. They were soft and warm...and perfect.

And he realized something as the kiss lasted. He was actually falling in love.

And it was amazing.


	7. The locket

Elizabeth's mind was a complete haze. Absolutely nothing was going through it at the moment as she was being kissed. She had been kissed before, but nothing like this! This was like nothing she could ever describe it was so good. The lips that kissed her weren't Victors.

When she kissed Victor she tried to kiss him like the way a wife would or even a lover, but she could never do it without thinking him to be her friend or even her brother of sorts. No, this was different. This was strange but good at the same time. It made her nerves prickle with excitment and her mind freeze and drift away into bliss.

Aldrik wasn't the only one; he had never before felt like he was human until this moment. His hands, though bigger than normal, were gentle as he cupped Elizabeth's face and deepened the kiss from gentle to something with a little more heat. His mouth was hungry and insistant from never having kisses or human contact. He groaned like a tree in the wind when Elizabeth pulled back.

"Aldrik?" His vision was blurred slightly; the light from outside made it look like Elizabeth had a halo around her. An Angel of mercy, come to save this poor wretch from torment.

His angel.

"What..?!" Elizabeth's face turned at least twenty shades of red in under a minute.

Aldrik waited for something to happen. Anything. Even if it was bad at least Elizabeth would still be with him. SHe looked away and climbed off of Aldrik; crawling out of the small enclosure, she said over her shoulder " I need to think."

Aldrik climbed out a few moments later and saw Elizabeth's tracks leading back up the beach. Words seemed to form on the tip of his toung and something like a memory was coming back from the depths of his mind.

_"Never knew...I could feel...like this."_

* * *

_Never knew I could feel like this,  
It's like I've never seen the sky before.  
I want to vanish inside your kiss,  
Every day I'm loving you more and more._

_Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing  
Telling me to give you everything.  
Seasons may change, winter to spring.  
But I love you until the end of time.  
_

_"Do you like it?" Sam held up the silver locket in front of her. The sun outside caught the silver edge and made it sparkle on Cara's face. She took it from him and opened it up. Inside was a picture of the both of them; Sam, looking so dapper in his fine suite, and Cara in the white muslim gown her aunt had made for her nineteenth birthday._

_Also inside, was a gold ring._

_When she looked at him, Sam was on his knees in front of her. Hard to believe almost two years ago they couldn't even stand each others presents. But now she new what would happen next. _

_"Will you marry me?"_

_It only ever took one word to answer that question._

_"Yes."_

* * *

Victor rubbed his tired eyes and put his pen down. He opened his desk drawer and shoved away some of the papers to grab the object at the bottom. He put the magnifying glass to his face and studied the inscription on the front and back of the locket. It was larger than most and ovular shaped; it fit snugly in the palm of his hand.

A vow of undieing love. Undying like the monster he had created. And what of Elizabeth? He hoped she was alright. But there were planes to be made yet. He put his things down and went to inspect the cellar.

"Ah, yes." All his things had been transferred from the college, and a few new things he had made by hand down in the cellar. A water tank had been constructed, a cage with chains attached inside for precaution. And then there were the chemicals. Bottles, beakers, vials and tubes covered the shelves and walls of the cellar room.

"We'll see who is stronger, won't we?"

* * *

The rest of the day had passed by in a blur of talk and chatter. It turned out that they were very close to Trieste which was a few hundred miles from Venice.

"I still don't believe that we traveled so far in just a short amount of time. I mean, I first was in Geneva, then over the mountains and...it's just odd that we're so far away."

_A lot farther than I'd have hoped to be_. Elizabeth though forlornly. She helped some of the women gather up some drift wood from the beach and haul it back up for the fire. Her arms were a little sore after words but she didn't complain. She also didn't mention that she hadn't see Aldrik since they....had kissed.

She felt the heat of a blush creep up her neck and face from the memory. She was a lady, not a wanton tavern girl seeking a kiss from one of the men at the bar, but the fact still remain that she had enjoyed it. Too much.

She shook her head and continued to help with preparing the evening meal like the other women. She felt a tap on her should and turned to see the girl from that morning.

"Hello."

She nodded and Elizabeth remembered that she was mute. She walked to the small fire and put a stick to it; after it was well burned at the tip, she pulled it out and blew on it and then reached into the folds of her skirt to produce a wooden tablet. She put the tip of the charcoal stick to it and scribbled something before showing Elizabeth.

_"hello, miss elizabeth."_

She smiled and wrote some more on the plank before she let her see it again.

_"my name is Rodah. I can write well but I cannot talk because i was born mute. Where is your friend?"_

Elizabeth explained that she didn't know where Aldrik was at the moment, and that he would eventually turn up for dinner.

"where did you learn to write so well?"

_"My cousin. Before the accident happened."_


	8. How could you be so heartless?

**I'm sooooooooooo sorry about the HUGE delay on this story. I think I've found some more creative juices again. Please stay tuned for more chapters and thank you all for being so patient in waiting. **

**Be warned angst and drama ahead. Full speed Captain!**

* * *

He dimmed the light to his lantern just a bit and hefted the shovel a little more against his side. He went strait to the new one that was only three days old. Garland of flowers and bouquets were placed around it. Victor shoved them all aside and without hesitation, plunged the shovel into the ground. He began working furiously; the precious cargo only several feet below him.

Finally the shovel hit something. Victors heart skipped a beat and he smirked; shoving away the rest of the dirt by hand, he found what he had needed to and wrenched to top open. Victor covered his nose with the handkerchief and grabbed the lantern beside him. He shown the light over the open casket.

Inside was the body of a woman.

Victor had heard the news that a young woman near the town had died from drowning the lake only three days prior to his things being delivered from the university. It was just to easy... Late that night he had stolen away from the house with his medical bag, a shovel, and a burlap bag.

He quickly rummaged through his medical bag and brought out a bone knife and went to work over the girls body.

GGGGGGG

"What accident" Elizabeth asked more to herself then to Rodah. What had happened? She didn't have much more time to think because the meal was ready. The men had wadded into the water with nets and had caught several shallow water fish for supper. They had boiled them for a soup and it was now being dished out into cups and bowls.

Elizabeth got her portion and sat down to eat near Rodah who watched everything with warm regarding eyes. At last Elizabeth saw Aldrik coming up from the beach, with him was Gustave. Aldrik didn't bother to get any soup and stayed far away from Elizabeth through the whole dinner.

Finaly Rodah dissapeared into the wagon where Kay was. A few minutes later she was helping her cousin down the stairs along with Ben on the other side of him. Elizabeth watched as Ben grabbed a pair of crutches and slip them under both of Kay's arms.

_He's crippled! _Elizabeth realized as Kay made his way over to the fire while someone got him a cup of the fish soup. He looked up in her direction and smiled.

"Hullo again miss Elizabeth."

"Hello Kay."

Then Kay saw Aldrik. His face went blank and Aldrik started to fidget under his stare. Kay put aside his soup and hobbled over to Aldrik as best as he could without any help. Everyone, including Elizabeth watched in silence.

Aldrik didn't know weather to flee or hang his head down. Kay gingerly reached out and put his hand on Aldriks shoulder. There was a stretching silence among everyone, save the sound of the fire crackling. Finally Kay smiled and spoke.

"I know your face..."

"Wha-?" Kay held up his hand and sat down on one of the logs that was near the fire. Elizabeth watched puzzled as Kay began to get comfortable on the stump and he addressed Aldrik again.

"Let me explain if I may; some time ago I was crippled because of an accident..." Aldrik suddenly and out of the blue remembered something from months prior. His mind drifted backwards in time...

GGGGGGG

_He remembered that morning. He had found himself in a forest several miles away from Ingolstat, the air had hung heavily with mist as he limped his way around the woods. He had been amazed by the beauty of everything around him, he looked at it all like he was seeing everything for the first time._

_Every experience was new to him._

_As he had wondered through the brush and bushes of the woods he didn't notice that there was a road close by, and that someone was traveling on it. Had it really been him though? The horse had been skittish before but it had never failed Kay. But that day had been different; as Aldrik had emerged from the woods the horse had spooked on seeing him._

_Aldrik had never seen a horse before and tried to come closer to inspect it. The horses ears flattened and it shied away, the rider trying to easy it with soft words. Aldrik had reached up to touch it..._

_The horse instantly reared back, Aldrik had covered his face to shield himself from the huge and frightening animal. It threw the rider off into the brush before galloping away and down the road. Aldrik had watched stunned as it ran away before he heard a muffled noise from the bushes._

_The rider had landed strangely; his legs were mangled and broken and his head was bleeding. Aldrik remembered when he had tried to get Victor off of the floor the night before. The rider moaned in pain again bringing Aldrik back to reality; this one didn't look like it would attack him if he tried to help._

_He put down his walking stick and had hauled the rider away from the woods and back to the road again with little trouble. He had arranged him as best as he could before leaving him on the side of the road hoping that he would be alright..._

GGGGGGG

"Several hours later my uncle and the caravan found me. I remember you pulling me to the side of the road." Kay smiled sadly at the memory. Aldrik remembered now: so this had been the rider he had saved. That had also been the day he had been run out of the village. He mentally shivered and blocked the rest of the memory out from his mind.

"I never thought I would meet the one who saved me again. I thank you." Aldrik was obviously not used to such courtesy from people and blushed slightly. Elizabeth watched and smiled, it seemed that everything was only beginning to make sense for the both of them. It was her turn to smile sadly. She knew what she should do rather than what she wanted at the moment. She stood and walked over to Aldrik.

He and Kay wer both in deep conversation when he turned to look at her.

"Aldrik, will you walk with me?" He slowly smiled, the firelight making his eyes a deep cobalt blue, Elizabeth felt a flutter in her stomach at the site.

"I will walk with you." They walked side by side down to the beach, Elizabeth had her arms folded across her chest and watched her feet as they walked on the sadly dry part of the beach. After a while of silence she took a deep breath and started to speak."Aldrik...about today when you...kissed me." She felt Aldrik stiffen slightly beside her. Elizabeth stopped and turned taking Aldriks shoulder so that he was facing her when she spoke.

He looked up and saw the full moon briefly before his gaze went back down to her. She seemed to glow in the pale light that illuminated the sand and her face...there was something in her eyes that made him stop. They seemed troubled, even anxious about something.

"Elizabeth what is it?" She looked away.

"I have to go back." His heart stopped.

"What?"

"I said I have to go back, Aldrik. And I'll tell you why...if you'll let me." She turned back to him, her eyes seemed endless and glowing now with confidence. Aldrik swallowed hard but there wasn't anything to swallow. He could only nod as if under a spell.

"When...you kissed me I felt something! Something I've never experienced before with someone else. Not even Victor. I know he's looking for me out there even now, and when he finds me he finds you. He'll kill you and I truly don't want that!"

"These past days I've learned so much about you and I don't want that to be destroyed."

"No- you are my mate! I-"

"No I'm not Aldrik! I'm a woman who's already married." She emphasized it by showing her ring finger with the wedding ring on it. His heart felt like lead inside his chest as he stared at the small gold circle fixed on her finger. Elizabeth didn't know where they had come from and hadn't expected the reaction she got from herself now but she couldn't stop them.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Aldrik...If you care about me, and want to do good like you say you do...then let me go." Aldrik's head was hung down and his dark hair curtained it so no light showed what his face betrayed at the time. Elizabeth waited silently and patiently for him to do something. Anything. She whipped the tears away furiously with her hand while muttering something about damned tears under her breath.

"Go."

Elizabeth hadn't expected him to say that; was he was actually letting her go? Before he knew it his arms were full of Elizabeth and she was holding him. She would remark later on how strong he felt at that moment when it seemed that everything was crumbling suddenly. She sniffed against his shoulder before reaching up to his face with her hands and bring it down for a gentle, almost too soft to be real kiss on the lips.

"Thank you for understanding." She whispered.

"I'll leave in the morning. Would-would you walk with me for a part of the way please?" How could he deny her that last request? "As you wish." Was his only response to her as they started back for the encampment. What he really meant to say to her was " I love you." and now he would never get the chance, because his heart had once again been broken. Only this time he felt that this had happened before to him like a long passed memory of a memory.

He wished he knew. _If only he did._


	9. There and back again

Victor had re-modified the equipment with the electrical current rods so that they were now powered by a running water source. It hadn't been easy but it would work for now. There was a well underneath the mansion so that during the summer days the servants didn't need to go outside to draw water. It was also connected to an underground river that went straight to the lake.

The machine looked like part grain mill part generator now instead of the old cellar where miscellaneous objects and supplies were kept. Now it was his laboratory, the one in Ingolstat had become too conspicuous for the time being. Later that evening he had brought the dead girl's body back with him after disposing of the head and other useless organs that weren't salvageable. Thankfully there were others in the cellar he had borrowed from class before he had left, and all were preserved in jars or glass cylinders.

Victor had the girl's body and even had a head for it. He had hidden in the shadows and watched as yet another grave was filled right before his eyes of yet another girl. It had payed to eves drop on the conversation the diggers were having while covering up the coffin.

_"Poor creature. Died in childbirth I heard."_

_"Yeah and you know who the father was din't ya?"_

_"C'n only guess. Bastard of a man go'nd touch'in his own daughter like tha; ain't right!"_

He smirked; it was just too perfect. The girl's head was rather pretty actually, considering who she might be in the future. She had long brown hair and an oval face. Not really striking features but pretty in a plain sort of way. He had set to work instantly after bring the body and head back to the mansion, sewing the head with as much care and caution as if he were walking on glass. He needed this one to look human and presentable. Unlike the last one; the abomination that had kidnapped Elizabeth... He wanted so badly to know if she was well.

He shook his head, banishing any other thoughts other than the task at hand. When the corpse had been stitched to his likeing, he wheeled her over to the copper tub that was filled with water and a mix of chemicals that would infuse the electrical currents into her body to give her the breath of life again. He made sure that her arms were strapped to the sides of the tub just in case...

Without further hesitation Victor flipped the switched.

Water from the well was sucked up a long glass tube that was that deposited into a long tank with a hatch at the end. When the water was completely at the top of the tank Victor shut it off and hurried over to the hatch before opening it. Water poured like a waterfall out and onto the water wheel below that was the main part of the mill like contraption. It began to spin rapidly, setting the other wheels to turn at the same insayn pace. Victor watched as the generator that he had used to experiment at the university was charged up with more power than he had dreamed it would ever create without the mills help.

"Yes...make her live!"

The body convulsed violently and shrieked as there was a sudden power surge from the machine. He had not planned on a spike from it and instantly tried to shut it off; rushing over to the tank he tried to shut the hatch closed. It was jammed and wouldn't budge. There was still so much water to drain, Victor tried to slow it down with his hands in the process he got soaked. He didn't want to do it but he had no other choice-

Quickly he grabbed the shovel that had been tossed side from earlier and with all the force he had, smashed the generator over and over again until nothing came from it. Sparks had flown and now there was only a slight fizzing sound from it. He hurried over to the body and began to check her vitals; taking her wrist from the strap he pressed his fingers to the flesh.

A pulse! Strong and fast like she had been running, he leaned over the edge for a better look. Like the first of his creatures he got to see the eyes open; green eyes like Elizabeth's. but at the same time not Elizabeth's because they had a...power to them, like she knew things that no one else did. She was looking at him in a dazed way like an infant trying to focus on it's parent's face.

He unstrapped the other arm and helped her to her feet and out of the tub. She stared at him with unfocused fascination while he fumbled around on the table for the sheet to cover her up with. She took that moment to collapse against him in a dead faint. Without any other option Victor covered her up and hoisted her so that he carried her bridal style up and out of the labritory and the cellar to the rooms upstairs.

The only other room that wasn't being used was his mothers. He had tucked her into bed carefully and went back down to the cellar to lock the door to the laboratory. when he came back upstairs to close the door he saw that she was sitting up and starring at him. Victor went to the bed and sat down on the other side.

"Can you understand me?"

She slowly leaned forward to him with an outstretched hand. He caught it just as it was about to touch his face; warm and certainly alive he remarked. She just might be a success after all.

_"U...U...nder-stand?"_ She could talk! It was better than he had ever imagined; he might not need to teach her too much then.

"Yes! You understand me; you were in a terrible accident. I saved you."

_"Acci...dent?"_

"You need to rest. We'll talk more in the morning."

GGGGGGG

Morning came to fast. He hadn't slept at all the night before and neither had Elizabeth for that had more strange dreams about the man called Samuel and the woman. Elizabeth's conscience weighed heavily on her mind and her heart felt like it might as well have been made of iron it felt so heavy. He had explained to Gustave why they were leaving.

"Well at least let us repay you for saving my sons life. Come..." he gestured for Aldrik to follow him. They were given a bag of fresh supplies and surprisingly enough a horse to get them most of the way back. Aldrik remembered his last encounter and was understandably nervous to approach the large beast. But with a little help and some guidance from Gustave, Aldrik was soon able to mount and dismount the creature with ease.

Elizabeth soon came out of the wagon ready to go. She didn't dare look into Aldriks eyes, the pain there was to much for even her to bare. Kay had managed to hobble out to see them go, he looked very tired but still managed a grin none the less.

" May the wind be at your backs. If things don't work out for you my friend" He looked at Aldrik " then you know where to find us. We'll be here for another few days before we hit the next town." Aldrik nodded.

"Thank you." Aldrik helped Elizabeth up onto the saddle behind him. It was strange to ride a horse, she hadn't had much practice and it was also unladylike. thank goodness for the split skirt she was wearing and a pare of borrowed pants that were lent to her. Aldrik took the reigns and spurred the horse forward towards the road they had traveled on days before. hours passed by and so did the landscape. The cut across fields and forests, brooks and rocks.

A few times Aldrik got down and simply led the horse while Elizabeth rode. They were silent the entire time. A day passed, then another and then another. There was very little polite conversations between them the whole journey, but no big conversations. What was there to really say? And every time Elizabeth asked Aldrik something it was either a "Yes" "No" or "As you wish." They eventually came to the field a mile or so away from the mansion and stopped. Aldrik dismounted first, Elizabeth dismounted gingerly and stepped away.

She remembered when she and Victor were still children and how they would run through the tall grass playing hide and seek together. Everything made sense then, it had been so easy to be a child and not worry about life. She turned to see Aldrik looking at her again. He had been doing that since they left, as if to try and not loose her from his memory when she was gone. She could certainly never forget him.

"I will not trouble your family; but know that I will always be near." He reached out his hand to her; just to touch her one last time...

BANG!

A shot sounded through the field and time slowed to a mere moment. Aldrik's face held only shock as he looked down to see a red spot bloom on the part of his chest where his heart would be. Elizabeth watched in horror as Aldrik's body slowly seemed to fall to the ground like the way a tree falls after being cut. With a thud, Aldrik lay there on the ground. Elizabeth was paralyzed and shocked beyond compare.

The series of events that followed that she could remember were a blur. A man coming out of the brush, she being told something about Victor, the ride back to the mansion, and finally Victor running out to see her.

"Oh thank God! Your safe!" Then all went black.

* * *

_He heard the grass swaying in the breeze, night had come fast and yet it wasn't dark out for him. It felt cool and misty._

_"I'm dreaming?" He cracked his eyes open to see behind lowered eyes. he was in a field of golden grass and poppies that swayed in the wind. he was leaning against a large tree, it's branches protectively stretched out above him. A shape stood over him as well although he could only see the green pastel fabric of the hem. Opening his eyes slowly to look up and see that it was a woman with auburn hair that danced lightly around her face from the breeze; he knew her._

_"Cara." _

_She smiled and sat down next to him in the grass before leaning over to give him a gentle lingering kiss. She sat back on her heels and looked at him. " Hello Aldrik." His brow creased. Aldrik? That was his name, but not his true name. He tried to sit up, but she gently placed her hands on his chest to stop him._

_"No beloved. This is a dream; but a dream with a purpose." He felt so languid just laying there, feeling the bark and the roots and being with her again was almost to good to hope for. Aldrik reached for her, letting his hands come to rest on her shoulders as Cara's hands tucked a stray wisp of hair behind his ear._

_"There were so many things I wished I could have told you-"_

_"Shhh...listen to me. It was never your fault for what happened, my love. You need Elizabeth now as much as she needs you. Go back the way you came..." _

The dream was fading now and he tried to grasp onto the meaning of her words as they turned into mist in his mind. Something was nudging him back to reality, it smelled of wet grass and sweat. The horse nosed him onto his back before folding it's legs down so that it was kneeling. He reached up, still half in dream until he felt the leather of the reigns. Pain shot through his chest as he pulled himself up onto the saddle and let the horse start it's journey to where ever it was planning to go. Aldrik drifted in and out of sleep, while his hand clutched his heart the whole time.

Rider and horse both dissapeared into the dark shadows of the night.


	10. Double sided coin

**Several months later...**

Elizabeth sat outside on a wooden stool in the garded putting the finishing touches on the painting of the mansion. She had been working on it almost endlessly and finally with a flurish of the brush in her hand she sat beck to survey her work. She had managed to get most of the finner details of the mansion correct but it still didn't have the thing she craved for it to have. The vitality and brightness it had once seemed to shine with was now an almost muted tone in contrast. Her paintings just hadn't been the same after what happened, and neither was she.

Oh, she managed to put on a good mask as wife and Lady of the estate, but inside the pain and guilt sometimes felt like it was threatening to eat at her from the inside out or that she might collapse from the weight of it at times. It felt like an eternity since it had happened...and she still didn't understand half of what it was she had been feeling for Aldrik or if it had all been a dream.

A giggle made her head turn in the direction of Victor and Mary, the girl who was now their ward, walked down to the porch that over looked the lake. His elbow was crooked and she held onto it with both arms. Mary seemed so young and childlike even though she was about the same age as Elizabeth was. She had been first introduced to her a week after her return. Mary wore one of her old dresses, a greyish blue longsleeved one with fern like lace around the neck line. Her dark hair was free of a bun and it seemed as alive as she was at the moment.

Victor had gone on to explain in length that she was a patient sent to him from Budapest to treat her. There was something about the way he had said it that didn't settle with her inside; but she was here with them now and that was really all that mattered. Apparently Mary had suffered from a carriage accident as a young child and it seemed to affect her memory at times and she was offten pleged by nightmares.

One such episode had been in the middle of the night three days after she had been introduced to Mary. Both she and Victor had bolted out of bed on hearing her screams. Elizabeth had rushed into the room while Victor had run down stairs to retrieve a sedative. While Elizabeth had held her shivering form in bed, Elizabeth thought Mary had said something strange. _" No...I wanted to keep it so much..." _Before trailing off after Victor had given her the sedative.

There hadn't been any more episodes since then. However, Mary now seemed to act different around Elizabeth, like she was copying her movments and trying to act like her at times. She would be childlike and naive at times, and then switch to being almost proper and noble born. Stubborn even, and a bit shrewd to others. It was the strangest thing to witness.

And then there was the water. Mary seemed facinated and cautiouse of it at the same time, like it would reach out and pull her into it or as if it might be a living thing. It took her a while to get used to being in the water for a bath, but afterwards she never seemed to want to come out even if the water was freezing.

She stood up and dusted off her hands on her apron before going down to see them. As she got closer she could see Victor reading to Mary a passage from one of the poetry books his mother used to read to them both whan they were younger.

**_"...Beauty never slumbers;_**  
**_All is in her name;_**  
**_But the rose remembers_**  
**_The dust from which it came."_**

"That was lovely Victor. But what was it about?"

Victor shifted in the chair to look at her while he explained. "It's about how even though the mask someone wares might be beautiful to look at, the person behind it might not be so pleasent. The person still remembers their past and what they've done." She nodded, then smiled and laughed before jumping off her chair in mirth and ran to play in the garden. Victor shook his head and spotted Elizabeth.

Elizabeth watched as Mary darted up the steps and past her. "She's so much like a child. So bright and eager to please. She reminds me so much of..."

"William. I know he would have liked her."

"Yes, I think he would have as well." But she certainly wasn't a child, Victor mused. Even children must grow up. He smiled and stood up, taking Elizabeth in his arms and kissing her. He never would have noticed that Elizabeth's lips were almost lifeless and stoney against his. From the shadows of the house however, eyes watched rapt with attention, like a predetor studying it's prey.

Elizabeth pulled away. "Victor...about the shooting?"

"We've been over this again and again. It's over and he'll never touch us again." Victor said agitaitedly before running a hand through his hair. "Just please trust me Elizabeth. It's over now." He brought her close and held her, more out off possesiveness than protectiveness. No matter what the situation or Victors mood he seemed to brush off any possible confrontaion, which left Elizabeth feeling that he wasn't telling her the whole story. He seemed to have changed quite a bit since her journey.

GGGGGG

Mary stopped him later that evening on his way to his study by laying a hand on his shoulder.

"What you and Miss Elizabeth did...its called a kiss?" He nodded. She lifted her other hand and with long fingers with long nails did she stroke his lips. Victor never felt so underpowered before, save the moment the Abomination opened it's eyes and saw him. Now he felt as if he was under a spell that she was casting. A spell that meant something deadly... like poison in his veins.

"Teach me?" She said. He couldn't refuse if he even wished too.

* * *

It was another week before Victor announced suddenly at breakfast that he had matters to attend to back at the university. Elizabeth walked with him down to the carriage "I still don't understand why you keep leaving you know." She teased as Victor shoved the last suitcase into the carriage.

"I just have to pick up the last of my things from the university and then I promise to never leave again. Besides I'll be back in a week or so; not too long." Elizabeth smiled weakly and let him give her a chaste kiss on the cheek before she turned back to the house. She turned at the top of the stairs and waved again. He waved back and slid into the confinds of the carriage.

"Drive on." He took one last look out the window of the carriage and was sure that the curtains moved from the upstairs window of Mary's room. He was almost relieved that Mary didn't have to be the mate for the Abomination now. He knew that even if the Monster hadn't been shot he would have returned for Victor, simply to haunt him. He had made Mary as bait for a clever trap hoping that when the Monster did return for him he would be taken with Mary instead. And then he would have locked them in together and set fire to the mansion. If anyone had asked it had been an accident and they would have gone somplace no one knew who they were; like America or the tropics.

But they wouldn't have to now. However there was still a small matter he was going to discuss with the tracker ...

GGGGGG

Several days passed by and it was rather quiet around the house, what with Mary keeping to herself in her room for most of the time. Elizabeth read, sewed a little and eventualy turned to a new canvas to paint on. At first she had no idea what it was she might want to paint, so she decided that she would flip through the nature albums that victor kept in his study.

It was quiet and dusty in the old room. The bookshelves always seemed to be packed with liturature since the day she had arrived to the mansion. She remembered days when both Victor and she would be sprawled out on the carpeted floor surrounded by half read books that ranged from dark ghost stories to mapes of Europe and how they had planned to go to all the places that they had pointed to as children.

Elizabeth browsed the bookshelves for while looking for any books on fauna or flora that might spark her creativity. It was on a lower shelf that as she was reaching for one such book, something caught her eyes. The bookshelves were conected to the walls and everything was furnished in stained dark oak. Near Victors' desk was a bookshelf with a window seat that overlooked the southern part of the garden. It looked like a panel of the wood on the seat was sticking up slightly.

Curiousely she went over to it and tried to push it back into place, only to find that it wasn't just loose, it seemed hollow underneath. She cautiously coaxed the panel up further until she was able to pry it off without any damage to the rest of the wood. She saw that there, under the seat, was a secret compartment. Elizabeth squinted into the darkness of the hollowed out space and saw something. Reaching in, she felt around until her fingers brushed the object and brought the contents into the light.

"What in the...?"

In her hands she held a leatherbound booklet that was quiet thick. Sitting down heavily on the seat, she opened the book and began to read through it.


	11. The frightening truth!

Lyrics by the Pierces. It fit so epicly for this story.

* * *

**_Got a secret_**  
**_Can you keep it?_**  
**_Swear this one you'll save_**  
**_Better lock it, in your pocket_**  
**_Taking this one to the grave_**  
**_If I show you then I know you_**  
**_Won't tell what I said_**  
**_Cause two can keep a secret_**  
**_If one of the m is dead…_**

**_Why do you smile _**  
**_Like you have told a secret_**  
**_Now you're telling lies_**  
**_Cause you're the one to keep it_**  
**_But no one keeps a secret_**  
**_No one keeps a secret_**  
**_Why when we do our darkest deeds_**  
**_Do we tell?_**  
**_They burn in our brains_**  
**_Become a living hell_**  
**_Cause everyone tells_**  
**_Everyone tells…_**

_On the inside cover of the book was a name. It read: Property and contents belong to Samual G. Kingson, University of Ingolstadt._

_Sep, 7, Ingolstadt_

_I know this is supposed to be used for my notes here at the Univeristy. I seemed to have that bad habit of using things like this journal to fool around in. One thing about this place that seemes to bother me is the lack of respect for God. Was it not he who created man and the heavens? Why then do these men of science turn away from all of the natural wonders that God has given them only to create complex problems that are in fact easy to solve?_

_I don't think I will ever understand human nature._

_Dec, 14_

_I never thought Music could reach so deeply to the soul before. It wasn't natural either...and yet, it seemed to...captivate me. I must be under it's enchantment still. I could have listened to it forever in euphoric bliss...But then that girl came out of the music room and ruined the entire mood. She was also the one who I ran into and who "Stole" my anatomy book. She's vulgar, rude, snobish, impolite, and a thief._

_And a very talented pianist._

_Blast it! _

_There were several blank pages before she came upon another entry._

_June 16,_

_It's hard to believe that the woman whom I proposed to this evening was the same one who hated my whole being not so long ago. We met clearly by accident two years ago while I was attending college in England. I remember that it had been a busy day that autumn and all of the new students, including myself, were still trying to figure out our schedules. I was running to my second class that day and wasn't in any particular mind to look where I was going. The next thing I knew both the person I'd run into and myself were flat on our backs with books scattered all around us. _

_I scrambled to pick through them and retrieve my books and papers praying not to be late before darting off to the next class. As I sat in class It didn't cross my mind that I had grabbed the wrong book when I had run the person over. I was called to read a passage from the text book, only to discover that to my horror the passage was a music sheet. _

_I can only imagine the humiliation Cara had to go through when she opened my book of anatomy for science._

_She managed to track my down later before furiously demanding her music booklet be returned else she report me as a thief. I didn't want to admit it later on, but she had taken the words out of my mouth. Begrudgingly we traded books and were content to never see the other for the rest of our lives._

_Well, that would have been the case anyway._

_It wasn't until Christmas holiday, the time when all the students were anxious to get home and away from studies came. The classes were over and only a few student's lingered in the halls. The ground had been inches thick in snow fall, and I decided to help put some of the things away for the holidays. It was another good hour of clearing everything away when I heard something. The corridors were empty as I followed the sound, realizing that someone was playing the piano._

_It was a haunting passionate sound that captured my soul as I listened outside of the music room to it. However it eventually stopped and I felt all the poorer for it. When the door to the music room opened I was stunned, because coming out with music sheets held to her chest was non-other than the girl I had knocked down in the hallway that day._

_Oh Cara, I don't think you truly realize now that that was the moment I fell in love with you. The way your amazing slender hands and nimble fingers dance across the ivory of the piano keys is only the tip of how beautiful your soul is. No one will ever love you as much or as dear as I do, my love._

_I gave her a simple gold wedding band that I had placed inside my mothers silver locket. Inside it is a picture of Cara and myself so that we can always be together no matter the distance. I knew she would like it; she expressed so must ecclesiastically._

It was obvious from the writing that this Samuel was as smitten as Cara had been. They had been crazy about each other after they had managed to smooth things out about the misunderstanding and become close. But why did Victor have someone else's diary?

After that there were several pages filled with notes concerning Philosophy, religion, and scribbled shorthand notes for classes. Then it just stopped.

The rest of the book was blank. Elizabeth closed it gently and set it back inside it's compartment, before sliding the top of the board back into place. She sat quietly for a moment, chewing her lip, a thousand unanswered questions and thoughts buzzing around in her head. It was no surprise she was fully blown distressed. The pit of her stomach felt like it might fall out if she stood up. Regardless of this, she did and began to frantically skim through Victor's study looking for anything that might add up to some of the clue's she had already found.

She quickly frisked through the books and bookshelves as well as the other window seats, and turned up nothing. Looking around, she saw Victors' desk; nothing but useless papers on top. She began opening and ruffling through more papers in the drawers. There was one that was either jammed or locked shut because when she went to open it it wouldn't budge. She shoved, pulled, and wiggled it trying to pry it open; then she heard a metallic 'Tink' as something fell onto the hardwood floor under the desk. Kneeling, she leaned low so the side of her face was on the floor to see under the desk what had fallen. With her right hand she stretched it out until her fingertips felt something cool; grabbing it she withdrew and saw that it was a tiny iron key. She slipped it into the locked cabinet drawer and twisted it until she heard it go.

Elizabeth slowly and cautiously, opened the drawer and reached in, pulling out another leather bound book with the letters 'VF' on the cover and a sterling silver locket. The pit of her stomach dropped out as she read the first page.

_**'I had destroyed my original journal when that horrible abomination came to me that night at Ingolstadt; I had promised to create another like him to satisfy his need for companionship. But in my mind I new I couldn't; the very thought of the two of them sent my mind reeling. God, I wish I had never created him!'**_

_**'And yet, the power I now have, the knowledge that I alone posses gives me great comfort in knowing that I have found a way to cheat Death. I have the power of immortality. It began in Ingolstadt when I was at University; one of my companions there was a young man by the name of Samuel Kingson. He and I soon became close and even dreamed of practicing medicine together in the future. He was engaged at the time, to a brilliant up-and-coming pianist named Cara Tobias. We talked often about our lives and fiances, Elizabeth would have liked Cara I think.'**_

_**'I remember the night that it happened though. It had been a wild and stormy night, the rain had been coming down in sheets while thunder and lighting raged onward outside. Sam had told me during class that Cara was coming over for the evening and he planned for them to stay inside the dorms. It was sometime around eleven that night when there was a sudden sharp blast of lighting outside in the courtyard.'**_

_**'Apparently it had struck the tree in the middle of it. However two people died that night as a result. From what I could gather and hypothesize, Cara had just arrived and was making her way across the courtyard to our building. She stopped under the tree when the lighting struck it. She was killed when the tree exploded and caught fire. Sam, rushed outside, found her and went mad from grief. He had apparently had on him a letter opener like a dagger and committed suicide. They had been taken away before any of the students could see what had happened.'**_

_**'I managed to acquire the locket from the wreckage of the tree that had been left behind. This was the beginning of my experiments with life and death. I used my own theories, formulas, and some of what Sam had written down in his own journal to create life. I created a body devoid of life, stitched together from the pieces of others that were fresh enough to use. The head and brain of this creature are none other than that of Samuel Kingson himself. True, I had to preserve his brain a bit longer and used different hair, but it is Samuel Kingsons' face and mind.'**_

"_**I though of all the scientific breakthrough's possible; Immortality, life after death, reanimation! The endlessness of it all spurred me on. But when it opened it's eye's...I knew that it wasn't Sam anymore. It was an abomination I had created. I curse him now and only pray that Elizabeth is still alive! When he comes for me next, I will be the one to destroy him and send him back to the abyss from which he came from once and for all!'**_

Then there were the anatomy pictures that frightened her the most. Hands, eyes, muscles and notes; oh the horrible notes! The words that spilled over the pages were of vulgar horrors that only added to the terror she felt growing inside her. Elizabeth flipped page after page, skimming through each section, and with each page did she truly realize what danger she herself was in simply by being connected to Victor.

Elizabeth trembled. It couldn't be possible! Nonononono... not Victor! _Not Aldrik_! Her mind screamed over and over: It's not true, it's not true, it's not true! But there was really only one sure way to find out. Looking at the locket in her hand she stared down at it in terrified silence for the longest time. It felt like a thousand pounds as it rested in the palm of her hand, the silver cold and gleaming as it caught the light. It was as if time stopped outside the room, the sound of her heartbeat drowned out everything as it pounded in her ears.

Opening it as like slow motion. She silently gasped as she stared down at the portraits in the locket. There was a beautiful woman in a white dress with auburn hair on the left side. Her face was bright and open, her eyes intelligent. Below the picture was a simple golden wedding band resting against the side of the opening. But it was then man, Samuel Kingson, that made her hand fly up to cover her mouth lest she cry out.

They could have been twins! But whereas Aldrik had had dark hair and pale skin, Samuel had sandy short hair and his complexion was flush and healthy. She knew instantly that this man that stared up at her from the portrait was Aldrik from another life. He had been so handsome and alive. But now both the men they used to be were no more...

There was a sound of footsteps outside the door; Elizabeth quickly stashed the journal and locket back inside the drawer before locking it and placing the key back underneath the desk again. She grabbed a random book from the study and walked out of the office as naturally as she had come in while crossing the main room before climbing the stairs. When she turned the corner of the hallway to her rooms however, she ran to the door. Yanking her door open, she shut it fast and locked it behind her.

Elizabeth's body was completely numb as if she had been dunked into the frozen river again. Her breath came in short labored spells; she slid down the door and slumped against it until she was nothing but a heap on the rugged floor. Elizabeth trembled with fright; how could it be that she was married to this man?-No, this monster? With whom she thought she had known so very well, only to find out that he was power hungry and half mad.

"Oh...oh god..." She whispered, letting her head drop into her hands before letting herself mourn the loss of her friend and pray for her own safety.

GGGGGG

Victor smirked across the table at the tracker before throwing him the bag of money he had brought with him. The greasy man reached for it greedily and opened the bag.

"Here now; there's only half of what you promised me!" he complained.

"I said I would pay in full only when the job was done complete."

"I did my job, Mister Frankenstein."

"You didn't kill it; I went to the field myself and there was no body!" Victor hissed.

"It couldn't have gotten far. I shot it straight through the heart, I did."

"Which means that you only did your job half done for what I payed you to do in full" Victor sneered as he watched the loathsome tracker's face in the dim light of the tavern.

"I could slit your belly, I could!" He threatened standing up from his seat. From under the table there was the sound of a pistol trigger being clicked back.

"I strongly suggest that you don't Mister Ferguson. Take the money and get out." begrudgingly he scooped up the bag and stomped out of the tavern. Victor watched from over the rim of his ale mug with sick satisfaction.

GGGGGG

Outside the tavern not an hour later they found the tracker's body in an ally.


End file.
